Ragdoll Cats or the Floppy Cat: Are All Ragdoll Cats Floppy?

Oh, breed stereotypes – something I have come to loath over the last 8 years of having this website. Too many people rely on breed characteristics and then expect that from the cat – which ends up setting the kitty up for failure.

BUT! Ragdoll cats are known colloquially as “floppy cats”, they did, after all, get their name, “Ragdoll” from being floppy. Many Ragdoll cats are known to litterally “flop” and goodness knows we have shared many photos of our kitties flopping on Floppycats’ Facebook page.

And this site is called “Floppycats” for a reason, so let’s talk about it.

Are all Ragdoll cats floppy? No. Of the many Ragdoll cats I have known and loved, I have only known of one as truly floppy when you pick him up and the others are more floppy when they are sleeping.

There are currently 11 Ragdoll cats in my family and there have been 9 before them. The only one I can say is TRULY FLOPPY is my parents’ Caymus. I would say that my Aunt’s Maddie and my cousin’s Huck come in a close second. The rest can be floppy if they are super tired – but on a consistent basis, it’s always Caymus (if he’s not terrified of something).

So, let’s discuss – would you say that your Ragdoll cat or cats are floppy? Why or why not? Also, “floppiness” in general is very subjective as well, so hard to gauge. When I talk about “floppy”, I mean that the cat is limp when you pick him/her up and stays in that limp state. There is also the “flop” when they lay down or do other things that don’t involve a human. Caymus is more of the limp variety.

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Hi, I’m Jenny Dean, creator of Floppycats! Ever since my Aunt got the first Ragdoll cat in our family, I have loved the breed. Inspired by my childhood Ragdoll cat, Rags, I created Floppycats to connect, share and inspire other Ragdoll cat lovers around the world,

Hi jean just wondering if u have heard if there is any distributors in Australia or of anyone that can send cats trapez here I haven’t heard of anyone. Or if u can find out what is involved to b one(distributer) in this country oz that is. Thanks so much. Karen rann

Hi Jenny,
At what age should I introcuce toys with cat nip? My Boy is 6 Monhs old. And yesterday he got a gift of Toys with cat nip.
I was wondering if is still too soon to introduce cat nip?
thanks,
Paula

dear Jenny,
finally I gathered up all my courage and decided to have another cat, actually, two.
So in January my babies ar coming, Charlie and Celine, we are all so excited an happy.
I still think a lot about my Abby, but I feel better and think that she would want my children and I to be happy.
I will surely write a review on your book.
Lots of love
Cria

I’m very interested in getting a ragdoll kitten. I’m a stay at home mom of 2 daughters ages 3 years and 10 months. I’ve called 2 cattery”s asking to see if they have ragdoll kittens and then I tell them that I would like to come and see them to pick one out and they say ok and then I say I’m going to bring my 2 daughters with me and they say no that they won’t sell me a kitten because my kids are still to young. I stay at home all day with my daughters and my husband works all day and most of the time he’s goes out of state to differnt job sites that he works at and I have no friends and no other family here and would like a ragdoll cat to keep me company . How do you guys feel do you think I should call around at other breeders or should I wait until my kids are alot older? What do you think I should do? I would love some advice because I have no one to talk too.

I’ve always had cats around, even when pregnant and raising two small children. I think it’s a great way to teach little ones how to respect and care for animals. I would suggest you continue to shop around for a suitable breeder, as Ragdolls are very gentle cats, and you may actually find an adult cat that needs a good home. Ragdolls are very social and crave attention, so you may find yourself having 2 human and 1 feline offspring.

If you can go onto the website Cat Fancy http://www.catchannel.com/cat-fancy/ to find cattery’s near you. That is how we found ours. I think getting a ragdoll would be great but your children are young so you will be the primary caregiver for awhile. While ragdolls are gentle with toddlers, since toddlers are unpredictable, we have to watch our ragdolls very closely so they don’t get hurt by accident. My ragdoll is 2 years old and my son is 1 years old..They coexist but not much interaction since my ragdoll sleeps during the midday…I would say get one but be prepared for a third child because they do require a lot of love and attention and need to play….

Mmm it is not the ideal situation for a breeder, I think. I already know cases of the family returning the adult cat to the cattery because the mother surrenders when children arrive: it is too much work. Also, think that you need a very specific kitten, it has to be calm so it won’t try to play with the baby, but “brave” in order not to be afraid of the baby crying. This is hard to find together as the more playful kitten are the bravest 🙂 and a baby is stressful for the kitten, it is full of scents and makes lots of noise… I mean, if the cat is already used to the house, then it is just one factor, but when thinking about a new arrived kitten that has to be used to everything… Anyway I won’t like you to surrender, but to understand you need a specific character and pherhaps a specific breeder, ready to trust you. Maybe you can visit the cattery with the children if you find the right one, to see how the kitten react to them

I feel a Ragdoll kitten takes a lot of your time as it is developing. With two small children, I don’t feel you can give the time it takes. I had five children and know how busy I was. Yes I had animals, but believe me they did not get the attention that I am giving my kitten. You said you wanted one to keep you company, what about your children. Wait a couple of years, when you can teach your children how to treat an animal.

NO WAY, NO HOW, COMPLETELY OUTRAGEOUS, SHOP A DIFFERENT BREEDER. Please go to my site and educate yourself on the amazing ways that a ragdoll can enhance your kids lives! Let me know if I can help you find a breeder in your area. You spoke with someone who is clearly not educated on the subject. http://www.TempleDolls.com Send me an email if you’d like me to help you. Until then, please feel free to look at my site and get some info on how you can and SHOULD get a ragbaby for your home, and the specific reasons why. 🙂 Head up girlie.

Ragdolls are slow maturing cats. The average ragdoll is 4 YEARS old before it is considered adult. They are extremely sensitive cats, but like all cats they are easily hurt by small children. I can understand most breeders being reluctant to send a kitten to a home where they may be hurt. Even if you are at home, you cannot supervise small children all the time, and it takes only a few seconds for either fur baby or skin baby to be hurt.

If you are absolutely determined to have a ragdoll, I would probably recommend you get two. Give them a “safe” room where you can put them when you are busy (cooking, cleaning, in the bathroom) so they are out of the way of your small humans and can relax and play together.

I’m sure your 3 year old would be fine, but a 10 month old …. how would you feel if the cat felt threatened or was being pulled around by a learning-to-walk baby and scratched your child? What would your reaction be? A cat doesn’t understand the concept of punishment, it’s brain doesn’t work that way, so you would need to be very sure that you can find a way to keep baby and kitten(s) safe in the same space.

Some of these replies sound nutso. Get the kitten for your family. They are the best cats for children of all ages. There is no other reason that I do this work, other than the therapeutic value for the family. The kitten will be well loved and have lots of companions. Just choose from a breeder who raises kittens underfoot.

I grew up with domestic cats throughout my childhood and feel it taught us great lessons in responsibility in looking after them and they gave us many hours of enjoyment. When our kids were small they too grew up with cats as part of our family and we have always loved watching their interactions and the love they shared with their pets. Only having been lucky enough to have two ragdolls in the past two years, i am constantly amazed at the affection and company they display and feel they would be a perfect addition to your young family.

I have 2 Ragdolls. I thought they’d be good cats for my grandchildren to play with when they visited. Unfortunately, I cannot trust either of them. They can turn mean in an instant and bite. Not all Ragdolls are docile like the breed suggests. Our rescue cat, although afraid of children and people, never bites or behaves mean. Also, the breeders I’ve known did not want visits, so I really couldn’t get a know the kittens, before getting them. We love our Ragdolls, but they are so expensive, and aren’t always good with kids. I guess I might recommend checking out some regular kittens and seeing how they behave with your children.

I am a breeder of Raggies and I sell to couple’s with young children as long as the child has monitored play with the kitten and the kids are taught to respect and take care of animals. I love to see kids and pets grow up together. I would visit the cattery in person to meet the babies as each has a very individual personality. A Nice breeder will show you and your children the correct way to hold and carry your new baby and give a list and gift bags of things that need to be done for them. Keep checking around.

If I were you, I wouldn’t give up. Of course, breeders can and do choose to not home their kittens in some cases where there are babies and young children; however, others do, especially when they are able to meet your children and you and see for themselves that your children are well-supervised etc. The noise and activity levels with a baby and a toddler can be a bit scary for cats, so you would probably need one of the more outgoing kittens, and allow for as much quiet time as he/she seems to need. Growing up with a cat in the family can be an amazing experience. We didn’t get our Ragdolls until my children were older, but we had rescue kitties in the family when they were both babies and toddlers. One cat really didn’t take too well to baby crying (both my kids had colic and reflux and cried a lot!), and she would retreat to a quiet place in another room. She wasn’t traumatised or anything but I think she would have ideally preferred not to have babies and younger kids around. The other cat would come running TOWARDS the crying as she felt it was her job to comfort the child.

I think Ragdolls are perfect cats with kids. Out daughter is older – 16 – but our friends have younger kids and our girls are great with them. I assume the breeders were more concerned about the time you’d have to spend with the Ragdoll. Ours take up A LOT of time. Don’t get me wrong – I wouldn’t change it for the world. But – they are definitely higher maintenance than any other cat we’ve ever had. This is the very reason we chose the Ragdoll breed! I wanted to have a cat who needed me.

Anyway – I wish you luck in your search for a Raggie. They are amazing babies!!! I love ours with my whole heart and am very grateful we found an amazing breeder who had amazing babies!

Hi Jen,
My beautiful boy, had his one year check up last night.
He had the rubbies and the RCP shut.
This morning he is not himself not getting up, not eating,
He mones every time i touch him. It breaks my heart.
He is a very energetic boy.
First thing in morning he is up with me runs to the shower on top of the counter ,so i can feed him.
I called the emergency the nurse sad it was a reaction to the vacinies.
Any of your under subcribes ever had this issue?
I ‘m also waiting for my regular vet to call me back.

So happy you reposted this one, Jenny! THIS topic always results in very interesting conversations. I can attest that our Miss PSB is not of the “limp” variety type of floppiness like Caymus. She’s of the “flop” variety where she flops around on her own wherever she decides to park herself for fun, naptime or just general Miss PSB Quirky Time. She’s very comfortable with us holding her now. She used to be pretty squirmy when she was younger and we tried to hold her (too much to do and see…not time to be held!). But she doesn’t go limp in our arms but we can tell she’s very comfortable being held now and that trust is awesome.

Illaria Rose is definitely not floppy, but like Patti’s Miss Pink Sugarbelle, she flops everywhere. She does this thing that Grace does as well and don’t know if other “floppycats” do it or not. When she sits, she will lean back with her forearms down in front of her and then one leg raises up. No matter how many times that happens, it always is so funny to me. She is definitely not floppy in my arms but wants to get down just as Patti said about Miss Pink Sugarbelle.
Now, Gracie is a totally different story. Being a sepia (two mink parents), I think it is funny because so many breeders have this stigma about them, but she is more of a “floppycat” than most as far as the “description” goes with all the common characteristics of a Ragdoll. When we get up, I put her over my shoulder and she is totally limber hanging there for the ride downstairs. If I should forget her, she screams like she is lost and I have to go back and get her. When I hold her like a baby, she just flops back and acts like she has no bones. Also, when she is relaxing in one of her lounges, she contorts herself into such a shape while on her back that her head is touching her back feet. She also does the thing about raising her leg like Illaria, but her’s goes all the way across the back of her shoulders. She will stay sitting like that while everyone is gazing at her and acts like we are so silly for laughing at her antics! As far as the description of a Ragdoll goes, feel the same way you do Jenny. Wish that those characteristics just be used as a guideline and then people should pick a kitten or cat on their individual purrsonality and best fit for them and their lifestyle not what a Ragdoll is necessarily “supposed to be.”

I live in a small condo. I am considering a Ragdoll kitten (from a local breeder). I haven’t seen a Ragdoll cat or kitten in person before, but I am going to a local cat show on Saturday, and the breeder will have a booth there.

They are a husband and wife, who raise Ragdolls in their home. I spoke with the husband and he said they socialize from day one. They are not in a cattery…the cats and kittens are in their home…their kittens are usually ready by 10 weeks because of that. Their cats are not large. They have two females and one male. One female is about 8-9 pounds and the other is 10 pounds. The male is only 8 pounds. I have arthritis, so I wouldn’t be able to pick up a really large cat. I could handle up to 10 pounds, however.

Are Ragdoll kittens easy to raise? I am retired, so I’m home most of the time. However, I do like to go out shopping and to lunch.

Do you have any problems leaving your cats? Since I live in a condo, I wouldn’t want a cat that meows loudly at the front door. I’m hoping for an easy-going kitten that likes to sit on my lap and be petted. I also enjoy playing with a kitten. I’d definitely take good care of her. She would be a “comfort pet” for me.

So wonderful that you want to adopt a little Ragdoll kitten! Don’t know if you have had a kitty for a pet before or not, but Ragdolls are a little bit different than other kittens as far as maturity because they mature a lot slower than other cats do and are not even considered to be fully mature adults until around the age of 4-5. Ragdolls aren’t able to go outside unless they are supervised closely or are on a leash to ensure that they are safe. They don’t have defense instincts that other cats possess and so they could be injured. So, they should always only be inside kitties and some breeders have that as a condition for adoption in their contract.

Hearing that the little kitten is only 10 weeks old is concerning because that is really young to leave it’s Mom. Even if they are socialized in homes by breeders, Ragdolls don’t usually leave their Mom until they are at least 12 weeks old and sometimes it is even 14 weeks because they need that extra time to become stronger and less dependent on their Mom. Would make sure that the kitten is already eating kitten food very well before taking it home.

Jenny’s book that is on Amazon.com, “A Ragdoll Kitten Care Guide: Bringing your Ragdoll Kitten Home,” is a very wonderful place to start to know what to expect and how to get ready for your kitten before you actually get it. You could visit your little one like many of us have and pick out the one you want, put a deposit down on it and then maybe wait several weeks so everything will go smoothly without any hiccups. Meanwhile, if you need help or more info, we are here and Jenny’s book is extraordinary and thinks of everything and more that you would need to ensure that things go well for you and your kitten after you bring it home. Best wishes to you and your new kitten for a long and happy life together.♥♥♥♥

Thanks for the information regarding Ragdolls. I misspoke when I said the kittens are ready to go to their new homes at 10 weeks. I was checking on the Exotic Shorthair breed, and that’s what the breeder said for his kittens. I checked with the Ragdoll cat breeder, and he doesn’t let his kittens go to new homes until they have been spayed or neutered and recovered from surgery (probably around 14 weeks for females).

I’m going to a cat show this weekend, where I can see some of his cats (and maybe a kitten that has been spoken for). The breeder won’t have kitten litters until early May.

I definitely would not let a Ragdoll kitten/cat outside, except on my screened balcony.

Are Ragdolls pretty laid-back and easy-going? Since I live in a small apartment and am no longer working, I would like a pet companion, but not one that’s extremely energetic (like a Bengal). I’ve had a cat before, and I know I can be a good “cat parent”.

I did purchase Jenny’s book from Amazon, and received it yesterday. It has a lot of good information, and I’ll definitely be checking it out.

So glad to hear that the little Ragdoll will get to stay with it’s mama until it’s 14 weeks and gets spayed/neutered, etc. That is great and then it will be good to go home. Also, wonderful that you have a lovely screened in balcony because they can go out there with you and enjoy the fresh air, watch the birds and have a relaxing time and not be able to get out. Sounds like you are all prepared and have gotten good info from Jenny’s wonderful book.

As far as if Ragdolls are laid-back and easy-going or not – I’m only speaking from my knowledge from the two I have who are both females. One is 4 1/2 and one will be 5 in June. Both of them are very sweet, easy going, gentle and innocent. They are not climbers and usually they don’t get on anything higher than the kitchen table unless it is their cat tree (they never climbed curtains like some cats do). In comparison, we also have a Maine Coon rescue female who is around 10. She is declawed but still climbs on everything even up on top of the fireplace mantle. The Ragdolls are kinda dog like because they follow me from room to room, even to the bathroom and have read other people here say the same thing. One likes me to carry her over my shoulder or she cries like she is lost. They sleep in their beds while we watch TV and all 3 of them sleep on the bed in their designated spots (King size bed). Mine don’t mind being held because I do it every day a lot, but some people say that their Ragdolls don’t particularly like being held. They do like being beside them and being petted. To me, having had almost 20 cats of various breeds over the years, my two Ragdolls are wonderful kitties who are sweet, innocent and very loving.

A little Ragdoll would probably be very good company for you and you would be a great kitty parent. When you go see the breeder on Saturday, you can ask them which kitten they think is the most laid back and they can help you decide which one would fit into your lifestyle the best.

Jenny has about 5 or 6 Ragdolls throughout her family, so that really speaks for the Ragdoll breed and she and the other people who come here can help answer your questions even more than me. Am so excited for you and hope you have a wonderful time at the Cat show this Saturday! Please let us know if you get the little kitten or if you might be waiting until May (which isn’t far away), to pick one from the other liter when they are ready to come home! Best of luck to you. Know you will fall in love with whichever one you choose!♥♥♥

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Hi, I’m Jenny Dean, creator of Floppycats! Ever since my Aunt got the first Ragdoll cat in our family, I have loved the breed. Inspired by my childhood Ragdoll cat, Rags (pictured with me), I created Floppycats to connect, share and inspire other (Ragdoll) cat lovers around the world, hoping we all utilize this community to make a better life for our cats and for us with our cats and to make some great friendships along the way as well.